Device for injecting fluids in tuyeres with separate multiple feeds

ABSTRACT

At least two pressurized fluids are fed to a converter through tuyeres having at least two concentrically spaced pipes. Each pipe is longer on the feed side than the pipe which surrounds it. Annular seals on the pipes form a fluid supply chamber. The outermost pipe is surrounded by a sleeve and has two annular seals on its outer surface to resist leaks from the nose of the tuyere and to prevent leaks of fluid supplied to the outer pipe.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,817,505 LeRoy et a1. June 18, 1974 [54] DEVICE FOR INJECTING FLUIDS IN 1,229,938 6/1917 Golden 266/41 TUYERES WITH SEPARATE MULTIPLE 2,829,960 4/1958 Vogt 266/41 FEEDS 2,863,656 12/1958 Cox 266/41 3,397,878 8/1968 Holmes et a1 266/41 [75] Inventors: Pierre LeRoy, 3,608,880 9/1971 Gombert 266/41 Saint-Germain-en-Laye; En ile 3,706,549 12/1972 Knuppel 81; a1. 75/60 Sprunck, Moyeuvre-Grand, both of France FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 826,442 I/l960 Great Britain 266/41 [73] Assgnee' g g t g? Pans France by Sam 969,303 12/1950 France 266/41 [22] Flled: June 1972 Primary ExaminerGera1d A. Dost [21] Appl. No.: 266,256

30 Foreign Application Priority Data 1 ABSTRACT July 29, 1971 France 71.27760 At least two pressurized fluids are f to a converter Oct. 18, 1971 France 71.37308 through tuyeres having at least two concentrically May 2, 1972 France 72.15476 Spaced p p Each is longer on the f i than the pipe which surrounds it. Annular seals on the [52] $8.81. 262/2; pipes form a fluid Supply chamber The outermost 'f i 2 P pipe is surrounded by a sleeve and has two annular [5 1 d 0 seals on its outer surface to resist leaks from the nose of the tuyere and to prevent leaks of fluid supplied to [56] References Cited the Outer pipe UNITED STATES PATENTS 846,475 3/1907 Hosking 266/41 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJuu 1a 1914 SHEET 2 [IF 3 FIG 2 The present invention relates to a device for blowing and injecting fluids, i.e. gases or liquids, in tuyeres with separate, multiple feeds, which may for example be used in the refining of metals.

For along time steel converters have employed as the blowing agent a single gaseous phase; ordinary air, oxygen-enriched air, or rich mixtures, such as oxygen and water vapour, etc. This blown in gaseous phase was called the blow blast. It was introduced into a large number of tuyeres by means of a wind box fed at relatively low pressure, of the order of 2.5 Bars. Each blow blast jet had only one feed.

More recently have appeared tuyeres with a divided, double feed, consisting of two concentric pipes, and blowing in at the centre a first fluid, which is generally an oxidising gas, e.g. pure oxygen or else a mixture of several gases, and at the periphery a cooling and protective fluid. These two fluids are generally introduced at a pressure considerably greater than 2.5 Bars.

The presence of two distinct fluids, fed separately into each tuyere, and also the higher pressure of these fluids, necessitate the discarding of the traditional wind-box and recourse to special blow devices, which will retain their seal despite the pressure of the fluids used.

However, these devices included plastics seals, intended for a maximum working temperature, according to the nature of the seal, of between 200 and 250C.

The aim of the present invention is to obtain a device for the introduction of at least two distinct fluids into divided double supply or even divided multiple supply, tuyeres, which will function correctly not only at high pressures, but also at temperatures very considerably higherv than 250C, while providing for the possibility of controlling the remaining length of the tuyere while in use, between two operations.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for the separate introduction of at least two distinct, pressurized fluids, into a multiple feed tuyere, comprising at least two concentric pipes, each pipe being longer, on the feed side than the pipe which surrounds it and having on its outer surface, at a level to which the pipe which surrounds it does not extend, at least one annular seal effecting a seal by compression, resulting from screwing, keying, or any other means of compression, between two clamping pieces arranged around the pipe in question, one of which may form a fluid supply chamber for the pipe which surrounds the pipe in question, the outermost pipe being surrounded by a hollow cylindrical part, called a sleeve, fixed to the bottom plate, and the outermost pipe has two annular seals on its outer surface, the first of these seals being clamped against the sleeve and against the outermost pipe by means of a nut screwed onto the said sleeve and being for the purpose of resisting fluid leaks from the nose of the tuyere which could seep back between this outermost pipe and the sleeve which surrounds it and the second of these seals positioned upstream of the first, being for the purpose of resisting leaks of fluid supplied to this outer pipe.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, the or each of the pipes other than the outermost pipe has only a single seal on its outer surface,

2 being for the purpose of resisting leaks of fluid supplied to the pipe surrounding the pipe in question.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, the outer pipe of each tuyere may be set in position through the bottom plate of the converter even before construction of the refractory bottom, its two open ends may then be temporarily closed during the entire construction of the bottom, the other pipe or pipes forming the tuyere then being engaged in and secured to the already located outermost pipe when the construction and firing of the refractory bottom are complete and the end caps have been removed.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, before and during construction and firing of the refractory bottom, the outermost pipe of the tuyere passes through the sleeve, which is closed at its lower end by a closure cap which is screwed onto it, compressing one of the annular seals, while positioning and retaining the said outermost pipe.

According to another particular feature of the invention, an elbow piece which will supply the inner pipe of the tuyere with fluid, is provided at the elbow and in the axis of the tuyere with detachable access means, enabling control of the remaining length of the inner pipe of the tuyere while in use. Moreover, these detachable access means may include a transparent eyehole, like a blast furnace tuyere.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, each pipe of the tuyere surrounded by another is provided externally with studs in a staggered arrange ment to ensure that the pipe is centred or is off-centre relative to the pipe which surrounds it, depending on whether the projection heights of the studs are the same or vary around the circumference of the pipe.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, the outermost pipe of the tuyere has several external discs forming baffles to prevent the pipe from being torn out of the refractory mass of the bottom, and also to resist return passage of the protective, peripheral fluid along the outer surface of the said outer pipe.

According to a further particular feature of the invention, in order to precisely control the flow of peripheral, protective fluid of each tuyere, the said peripheral fluid is admitted into each tuyere by means of an individual pump per tuyere, so that a variation imposed on the peripheral fluid flow of one tuyere does not cause any variation in the peripheral fluid flow of the adjacent tuyeres. A good example of the application of such a device is that a double tuyere, fed with pure oxygen in the central conduit and with fuel oil in the peripheral conduit or conduits. This feature is of particular interest when it is desirable to vary the peripheral, protective fluid flow at will and according to circumstances, for example as a function of the wear rate of the tuyere, or again, in the opposite direction, as a function of commencement of choking and plugging of the nose of the tuyere.

To provide a better understanding of the invention, there follows, as a non-limiting example, a description of an embodiment of a device of the invention, to feed a tuyere with a divided double feed, the central pipe being for the reception of pure oxygen or any other oxidizing gas and the other pipe for reception of fuel-oil, or any other protective liquid.

Such a double tuyere, in the present example, is placed in a converter bottom made of tarred, tamped or vibrated dolomite, the usual refractory material.

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of such a device of the invention, in use.

However, prior to construction and firing of the tarred dolomite bottom, only the outer pipe of each tuyere is set in position, having on its base a special, temporary closure cap, for use during construction and firing of the tarred dolomite converter bottom.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the lower end of the outer pipe fitted with its temporary closure cap.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show in section various constructions for spacing the inner and outer pipes.

There follows a description firstly of the device in use, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and then of the device considered before and during construction and firing of the tarred dolomite bottom, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1, the bottom plate 1, supporting the tarred dolomite bottom 2, receives a thick cylindrical piece 3 in the form of a short, thick threaded sleeve, which screws into but still projects from plate 1, the projecting portion of the thread receiving nut 6, which is screwed down to compress annular seal 5. This seal 5 resists the return of leaks from the nose of the tuyere, which could be seen between sleeve 3 and pipe 4.

A second annular seal 7, situated close to the lower end of pipe 4 and upstream (relative to the flow direction of the fluids) of the first seal 5, is also arranged in a ring around pipe 4. It is compressed by screwing down nut 8 on the threaded head 9 of the injector body 10. This seal 7 resists leaks of protective peripheral fluid which could seep between pipe 4 and head 9 of injector body 10. In addition, it rigidly connects piece 10 and pipe 4 and prevents piece 10 from being wrenched off.

This piece 10 forms the protective liquid supply chamber for the pipe. It is arranged annularly around pipe 11, which blows in pure oxygen and is made of copper. it receives the protective liquid through its lateral orifice 12 connected by joint 13 to the protective liquid supply pipe 14.

This piece 10 includes a second threaded head 15 onto which screws nut 16 to compress a third annular seal 17, positioned around the oxygen blow pipe 11. This seal 17 resists leaks of liquid between pipe 11 and head 15 of piece 10, as well as the wrenching of pipe 11 from piece 10.

Nut 18 screws sealedly onto the end of pipe 11 and thus joins pipe 11 to oxygen conduit 19, through elbow joint 20. This elbow joint 20 is fitted with a threaded cap 21 having a transparent eyehole in its end, which is not visible in FIG. 1. The state of central pipe 11 of the tuyere may be inspected, if desired, between two charges, by direct observation through the eyehole. Also, from time to time between two charges, cap 21 may be unscrewed to measure the remaining length of the central pipe 11 of the tuyere, by means of a straight rod bent back at the end.

Inner pipe 11 is also provided externally with special studs 11', in a staggered arrangement, shown in FIG. 3, all projecting to the same height as seen in FIG. 4, which properly centre pipe 11 relative to pipe 4 by contact with the outer pipe 4 and do not noticebly interrupt the peripheral flow of protective liquid. If de sired, the studs 11' may be of variable height but of constant height along each generatrix of the pipe, as in FIG. 5, to place the inner pipe off center with respect to the outer pipe.

For its part, outer pipe 4 is provided, in its portion situated above bottom plate 1, with several external discs forming baffles, which are not shown in FIG. 1, to prevent pipe 4 from being torn from dolomite mass 2, and also to resist the return passage of protective liquid along the outer surface of pipe 4.

As opposed to FIG. 1, which shows an embodiment of the invention in use, i.e. during the blow periods of the converter, FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the device considered before and during the construction and firing of the tarred dolomite bottom of the converter.

Before construction of the dolomite bottom, the pro- 5 jecting portion of the thread of sleeve 3 receives closure cap 22, which clamps annular seal 5 against sleeve 3 and pipe 4, as shown in FIG. 2. Cap 22 has a solid head. It forms a closure, as opposed to nut 6 of FIG. 1 which occupies the place of cap 22 when the device is in use.

When cap 22 has been screwed onto sleeve 3, pipe 4 is engaged with light friction and slight play, in sleeve 3, from the top. This pipe 4 is made of ordinary steel in the present example. The assembly formed by sleeve 3, seal 5 and cap 22 on the one hand enables pipe 4 to be positioned with precision, cap 22 also serving as a top, and on the other hand keeps it rigidly vertical during the entire period in which the dolomite mixture is laid and vibrated and the bottom is fired. In this way, the rigidity with which pipe 4 is fixed at its lower end is sufficient to dispense, at its upper end, is on the upper surface of the bottom, with all classic methods of fixing the tube assembly 4, such as: jigs, spidersupports, etc.

At this upper end of pipe 4, on the inside of the converter, a simple closure cap, not shown in FIG. 2, protects pipe 4 from any downward penetration of foreign bodies, e.g. tar.

After construction and firing of the refractory bottom, pipe 4 is uncapped at both ends. Consequently, at the bottom, closure cap 22 is unscrewed and withdrawn. It is then replaced by nut 6 of FIG. 1. Then central pipe 11, fitted with pieces 7, 8, 9, l0, l5, 16, 17 of FIG. 1 is engaged in outer pipe 4; nuts 8 and 16 are tightened in a suitable position; the supply chamber formed by piece 10 is joined to the protective fluid conduit 14 leading from an individual pump; and central pipe 11 is joined to the oxygen feed conduit 19. The device is then ready for use, as shown in FIG. 1.

It will be understood that, without departing from the scope of the invention, modifications and detailed improvements may be devised, and equivalent means considered.

As will be appreciated, one of the main advantages of the embodiment described is to provide the separate supply of two or more fluids in a tuyere having two or more concentric pipes, by means of a device which preserves its tightness not only at high pressures, but also at high temperatures, considerably greater than 250C.

A further advantage is to enable easy location of the feed device and of all the pipes forming the tuyere, with the exception of the outermost pipe, after construction and firing of the refractory material of the base, just before the base, already in place in the converter, is put into service. The outermost pipe is provided with baffles so as to prevent these pipes from sliding or being torn from the dolomite, and also so as to prevent the peripheral, protective fluid from leaking through the refractory bottom, along the tuyeres and outside the latter.

Another advantage is that the control, while in use, of the remaining length of the tuyere, between two charges of the converter, is rendered possible and easy. 7

Additionally, complete control is obtained of the protective, peripheral fluid flows in each tuyere, considered individually.

What we claim is:

1. Device for the separate introduction of at least two distinct, pressurized fluids, into divided multiple feed tuyeres passing through the bottom plate of a converter, comprising at least two concentric spaced pipes, each pipe being longer on the feed side than the pipe which surrounds it, atleast one annular compression seal on the outer surface of each pipe, at a level to which the pipe which surrounded it does not extend compression means for compressing each of said seals including two clamping pieces arranged around each pipe one of said clamping pieces forming a feed chamber for the space between the pipes, a hollow, cylindrical sleeve surrounding the outer pipe and attached to the bottom-plate, two annular seals on said outer pipe, the first of said two seals being clamped against said sleeve and against the outer pipe by a nut screwed onto said sleeve to resist leaks of fluids from the tuyere jet seeping back between the outer pipe and said sleeve, the second of said two seals, positioned upstream of said first seal, resisting leaks of the fluid fed to the outer 6 pipe.

described in claim 1, the outer pipe being positioned through the bottom-plate of the converter before construction of the refractory bottom of the converter, means for closing the two open ends of the outer pipe temporarily during the construction of the bottom, the other pipe of the tuyere being mounted in the outermost pipe after construction and firing of the refractory bottom and removal of said closing means.

3. Device for the separate introduction of fluids as described in claim 1 including studs on the pipe within the outer pipe in a staggered arrangement, the projection height of said studs being equal to the width of the passage to be formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

4. Device as described in claim 3, the projection height of of said studs being the same to center the inner pipe in the outer pipe.

5. Device as described in claim 3, the projection height of said studs being variable around the circumference of the inner pipe, and constant along each genatrix of the inner pipe, so that the inner pipe is offcenter to the outer pipe.

6. Device for the separate introduction of fluids as described in claim 1, including means for controlling and regulating flow of the peripheral fluid which protects tuyeres from wear, characterised by the fact that the admission of the said peripheral fluid into each of the tuyeres is accomplished by means of an individual pump per tuyere.

2. Device for the separate introduction of fluids, as

Rirm' (1mm m. m R is km N Patent No. 3,817,505 g- June 18., 1974 Pierre LEROY. and Emile SPRUNCK Inventor(s) It 13 eertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below Claim 1, column 5, line 18, "atleast" should read "at least-" Claim 2, after ending insert "said closing means including a cap threaded onto said sleeve to close the outer most pipe and to clamp one of said annular sides of the outer most pipe". 7

.T-Signed and sealed this 5th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attestlng Officer Commissioner 639 Patents om. P0405) not?) 

1. Device for the separate introduction of at least two distinct, pressurized fluids, into divided multiple feed tuyeres passing through the bottom plate of a converter, comprising at least two concentric spaced pipes, each pipe being longer on the feed side than the pipe which surrounds it, atleast one annular compression seal on the outer surface of each pipe, at a level to which the pipe which surrounded it does not extend compression means for compressing each of said seals including two clamping pieces arranged around each pipe one of said clamping pieces forming a feed chamber for the space between the pipes, a hollow, cylindrical sleeve surrounding the outer piPe and attached to the bottom-plate, two annular seals on said outer pipe, the first of said two seals being clamped against said sleeve and against the outer pipe by a nut screwed onto said sleeve to resist leaks of fluids from the tuyere jet seeping back between the outer pipe and said sleeve, the second of said two seals, positioned upstream of said first seal, resisting leaks of the fluid fed to the outer pipe.
 2. Device for the separate introduction of fluids, as described in claim 1, the outer pipe being positioned through the bottom-plate of the converter before construction of the refractory bottom of the converter, means for closing the two open ends of the outer pipe temporarily during the construction of the bottom, the other pipe of the tuyere being mounted in the outermost pipe after construction and firing of the refractory bottom and removal of said closing means.
 3. Device for the separate introduction of fluids as described in claim 1 including studs on the pipe within the outer pipe in a staggered arrangement, the projection height of said studs being equal to the width of the passage to be formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
 4. Device as described in claim 3, the projection height of of said studs being the same to center the inner pipe in the outer pipe.
 5. Device as described in claim 3, the projection height of said studs being variable around the circumference of the inner pipe, and constant along each genatrix of the inner pipe, so that the inner pipe is off-center to the outer pipe.
 6. Device for the separate introduction of fluids as described in claim 1, including means for controlling and regulating flow of the peripheral fluid which protects tuyeres from wear, characterised by the fact that the admission of the said peripheral fluid into each of the tuyeres is accomplished by means of an individual pump per tuyere. 